The Story So Far: How a Coffee Shop Conversation Sparked a Regional Movement

The Origins of Wycombe Furniture Forum started as a conversation in a coffee shop

In January 2024, a casual conversation in a High Wycombe coffee shop between a local furniture designer, the editor of a community magazine, and our founder, Peter Spence, became the spark for something bigger: a shared vision to reconnect and regenerate the region’s once-celebrated furniture industry.

High Wycombe has long been known as the heart of British furniture making. For more than a century, the town's skilled makers crafted everything from Windsor chairs to fine cabinetry — supplying homes, institutions, and businesses across the country.

Its factories and workshops shaped not only the local economy, but the very identity of the town. The sound of saws and the scent of wood were once part of daily life here.

But like many traditional manufacturing centres, High Wycombe’s furniture trade declined in the face of globalisation, changing consumer habits, and reduced public investment.

What remains, however, is a wealth of talent, resilience, and pride — and a growing need to rethink how we connect industry, education, and innovation.

That’s where Wycombe Furniture Forum (WFF) comes in.

From its humble beginnings, WFF has grown into a collaborative platform designed to unite furniture manufacturers, designers, educational institutions, support organisations, and local government. Its aim? To ensure the survival — and revival — of one of Buckinghamshire’s most iconic industries.

Peter Spence, drawing on his experience founding the South Coast Design Forum and working with design-led initiatives, recognised the importance of not just preserving heritage, but reimagining its relevance for today’s economy. Together with a dedicated team of advisors and expert contributors, WFF began mapping the needs of the sector and identifying opportunities for shared growth.

What makes WFF unique is its role as a connector — a space where skilled people, ideas, and resources can come together. From student work placements to business partnerships, community showcases to policy conversations, WFF is positioning High Wycombe as a place where furniture making can thrive again.

Today, Wycombe Furniture Forum continues to grow — rooted in the town’s legacy, but firmly focused on the future. Our work is guided by the belief that High Wycombe’s furniture story isn’t over — in fact, a new chapter is just beginning.